How are you guys going about reducing noise on sustained notes w/ single coils?

Lots of great advice in here. If orienting the guitar optimally still leaves a lot of buzz, it could be from a couple things:

1) RFI/EMI radiation from multiple sources/directions, in which case positioning the guitar will only do so much
2) Ground loops, which are created when devices in the signal chain are plugged into different circuits with different ground potential voltages. Positioning the guitar won't do anything about this.

Some good steps here are:

  • Turn. Stuff. Off. Turn the lights off. Turn the monitors off. Turn the TV off. Turn your phone off. If there's a fridge on the circuit with a motor churning away, unplug it for the take. You say the room is full of "all manner of electronics" but you don't need all of it to track this part. You need the PC and the Axe and perhaps an interface. Turn everything else off. Then leave it all off. All you need in your life is the Axe FX III. OK that might be going too far.
  • Think about your circuits. If your Axe, interface, and PC are on the same circuit, you probably won't have a ground loop. If you play through a powered monitor that's on a different circuit because you play at Motörhead volumes in your bedroom and you're sick of blown fuses taking your PC down, well, I mean, take some beer to the prettiest quiet place nearby and think about that for a bit.
 
Intelligent mode of the input gate works pretty well with my strat, unless you turn the guitar way down, or play super super quietly. You don't end up with anywhere near the dynamic range you'd have without the gate, but the more gain there is, the less dynamic range you have anyway.

Shielding the guitar is an option, but some folks think it hurts your tone, and it sounds like you don't want to mod the guitar.
Those people oughta stop putting tin foil on their heads and put some cooper foil in their guitars instead.

Seriously, conventional shielding of the pickguard and cavities does not change the tone. Putting it around the coils, that's another story.
 
I'm still thinking about the Illitch thing.

It's expensive, and may need some physical messing around because EJ strats have different pickguard screws than most, and no back plate, but it seems like the best answer.
 
I'm still thinking about the Illitch thing.

It's expensive, and may need some physical messing around because EJ strats have different pickguard screws than most, and no back plate, but it seems like the best answer.
I checked out their site and they also make one embedded in the pick guard, or one for inside the control cavity if the backplate isn’t a good option for you.
 
Maybe try and record a 2nd track where you do not play but just record the noise. Flip the polarity of that track. It should cancel out the noise.
 
Maybe try and record a 2nd track where you do not play but just record the noise. Flip the polarity of that track. It should cancel out the noise.
This is a good thought but unfortunately won't work. Your idea uses the same principle as balanced cables which are very effective because any noise picked up on the two signals in a balanced cable is identical. But unfortunately in your scenario even though the noise is from the same source and will probably sound identical, it won't be the same waveform because it's from two different takes, meaning you won't get the destructive effect of summing the original and flipped phase signals together.

The video below shows this effect. The same white noise source played through two speakers will have phase and comb filtering interactions, whereas two separate but identical-sounding white noise sources will not.

 
Just wanted to give a quick update so it doesn't seem like I've abandoned my own thread (sorry for not responding to everyones' posts individually like I usually do but I figure this will be faster and more concise):

1. I have discovered very small cone of space where I can point the guitar to bring down the noise somewhat. It isn't perfect, but its better than it was.

2. In response to the "turn off everything not in use advice": Already on it and while it helps a touch, there are certain things I can't turn off/unplug without inciting the ire of the entire house (TV relay and Wifi extender for example). Also, weirdly my computer monitor being off doesn't really affect things as much so long as I ensure ample space between the guitar and it. Still, doesn't hurt to turn it off for good measure in situations where I need to be closer.

3. I've always wanted to get an Illitch, and going forward I might try it out on this guitar. This is the only proper Strat-style guitar I own (aside from my first guitar which isn't really in playing condition due me messing up the wiring), and honestly, I'm not too concerned about whatever minimal effect these types of things have on tone. I just want to try to get this demo video out of the way with the guitar stock. Maybe I'll pony up the dough for a Suhr too, just for variety's sake despite not being a Strat guy. Not anytime soon though, and I'm a little bummed they don't seem to have very many guitars with the V70s which I always liked the sound of in demos.

4. For a long time, I assumed the power in this house wasn't the greatest just because things were all around noisier than I recalled them being at the homes I lived in previously. But given that the noise does lessen with the guitar volume knobs being turned down, and there's not ungodly amounts of noise on clean tones, I might actually be in the clear on that front.

5. On potential for ground loops: I have 2 separate surge protectors for all my recording-related stuff, and both are connected to the same outlet pair. Granted, that doesn't mean much since this house's wiring is... eccentric, to say the least, but given the descriptions I've seen here I don't think a ground loop is my issue.

Thanks for everyone giving their input on this so far. I appreciate it.
 
Just wanted to give a quick update so it doesn't seem like I've abandoned my own thread (sorry for not responding to everyones' posts individually like I usually do but I figure this will be faster and more concise):

1. I have discovered very small cone of space where I can point the guitar to bring down the noise somewhat. It isn't perfect, but its better than it was.

2. In response to the "turn off everything not in use advice": Already on it and while it helps a touch, there are certain things I can't turn off/unplug without inciting the ire of the entire house (TV relay and Wifi extender for example). Also, weirdly my computer monitor being off doesn't really affect things as much so long as I ensure ample space between the guitar and it. Still, doesn't hurt to turn it off for good measure in situations where I need to be closer.

3. I've always wanted to get an Illitch, and going forward I might try it out on this guitar. This is the only proper Strat-style guitar I own (aside from my first guitar which isn't really in playing condition due me messing up the wiring), and honestly, I'm not too concerned about whatever minimal effect these types of things have on tone. I just want to try to get this demo video out of the way with the guitar stock. Maybe I'll pony up the dough for a Suhr too, just for variety's sake despite not being a Strat guy. Not anytime soon though, and I'm a little bummed they don't seem to have very many guitars with the V70s which I always liked the sound of in demos.

4. For a long time, I assumed the power in this house wasn't the greatest just because things were all around noisier than I recalled them being at the homes I live in previously. But given that the noise does lessen with the guitar volume knobs, and there's not ungodly amounts of noise on clean tones, I might actually be in the clear on that front.

5. On potential for ground loops: I have 2 separate surge protectors for all my recording-related stuff, and both are connected to the same outlet pair. Granted, that doesn't mean much since this house's wiring is... eccentric, to say the least, but given the descriptions I've seen here I don't think a ground loop is my issue.

Thanks for everyone giving their input on this so far. I appreciate it.

I just had a similar problem when producing my first single. The amp noise floor would begin to show itself on long, decaying notes in 2 spots in my song. I'm using Zexcoil "single coils", so I had humbucking going on, but it wasn't enough. I tried re-recording just the decays being careful to position the guitar away from my PC and whatever else I could think of, but to no avail. My ultimate solution:

RX7 denoise. A bit of a learning curve to use, but it's absolute magic. I exported just the decays that I wanted to clean up, that way I wasn't editing anything that didn't need it. I'm doing a rent-to-own via Splice. You can do just a one month thing and do your edits if you don't want to actually buy it.

Also, may as well plug my single since I mentioned it: https://ditto.fm/beauty-queen-sean-miller The final decay at the very end is where I used the denoise. And just before the down chorus near the end.
 
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OK - The Story must be told, I’ve got a keyboard in front of me and I’m not afraid to use it:

******************************
So we're in the studio tracking guitars one night, everyone’s in the Control Room with the Marshall 4x12 speaker cab in the Iso Booth. Steve puts on his Strat, plugs it in and we hear this faint "tick-tick-TICK!" sound. Wha? A "tick" every second with the third one being noticeably louder, then two seconds of silence. "tick-tick-TICK!" "tick-tick-TICK!" "tick-tick-TICK!" "tick-tick-TICK!" and it keeps repeating and repeating and...

I ask Steve to try facing in a different direction and (just like always with a Strat) the noise gets louder/softer with his compass heading (so I know it’s some kind of RF) but the "tick-tick-TICK!" is still there nevertheless. Time's a wasting, so “oh, screw it…” I cue the tape and hit RECORD – even though I can plainly hear "tick-tick-TICK!" about 30dB down. We rewind and listen back to the first take: nope, the damn "tick-tick-TICK!" is going to be A Problem – even at it's lowest level and even with the rest of the tracks in the mix. Jon thinks I’m being “too picky again”, but he’s a bass player and partially deaf in his right ear so I ignore him and tell Steve “it’s time to do some keyboards”. Thankfully, there’s no "tick-tick-TICK!" coming from the MIDI system and we track keys into the Wee Hours.
Next afternoon, it’s my Alone Time in the studio so I start chasing the "tick-tick-TICK!". I built the studio myself and the entire place is wired with Mogami/Canare that I did myself, and I know how to create a solid grounding scheme and I know how to solder and I know how to lift the shields at one end, etc., so once again I grab Steve’s Strat and plug it in – exact same signal chain, no changes from last night – except there’s no "tick-tick-TICK!"
crap.

“Well, OK – I guess that solves that!” I tell myself, although I know full-well that something like that going away by itself isn't really A Good Thing b/c it hasn't been officially solved, has it? Anyway, later that night everyone's back to cut yesterday’s guitar tracks, Steve straps on and plugs in the Strat and then "tick-tick-TICK!" DAMMIT! I send everyone out to the patio so I can spend the next 20 minutes going around the studio wearing the Strat myself and using it as “an antenna with strings” to figure out where the "tick tick TICK!" is coming from. It gets a little louder near the iso booth, but what could possibly be making such a defined "tick-tick-TICK!" sound every five seconds? Some kind of military radar sweeping past us every 5 seconds? As if – a radar that sweeps non-linearly? The alarm system malfunctioning? Conceptually, I have nothing to wrap my brain around.
Next night is Friday Gig Night for the band, so this time I grab a Tele and of course it’s "tick-tick-TICK!" "tick-tick-TICK!" "tick-tick-TICK!”. As before, it’s the loudest by the Iso Booth (East side of the building) and after just about killing myself tripping over the guitar cable for the sixth time I have the genius idea of grabbing the battery-powered Rockman and a set of cans, thus creating a Portable Antenna with Strings.
No doubt about it, the "tick-tick-TICK!" is absolutely the loudest on the East side of the studio, so I head outside (still wearing the Portable). As I walk out the front door I notice that the "tick-tick-TICK!" is clearly louder, and as I walk towards the East side of the building it’s louder still – but I have no clue as to where it’s coming from.

So I start walking down the street heading East, and sure as Hell the "tick-tick-TICK!" is getting louder and louder the further East I walk. As I get closer and closer to the East end of the street – and closer and closer to the main N/S thoroughfare (Shepherd Dr.) – the "tick-tick-TICK!" gets even LOUDER AND LOUDER while the stares I’m getting from people driving by seem to get weirder and weirder.
I finally dead-end into Shepherd and take a look to my left – and there I see it. Next to the car detailing place there’s one of those portable signs, about four feet high by six feet long on a small trailer chassis, with a horizontal arrow on top. Imbedded into the arrow are five 100W light bulbs, and as I listen to the "tick-tick-TICK!" I can see that the lightbulbs are lighting one at a time in perfect sync to the "tick-tick-TICK!" – with the loudest “TICK!” at the end being the result of three lights flashing ON at the same time! EUREKA, I HAVE FOUND IT! I walk up to The Sign and pry the flashing arrow’s cover open just enough to peek inside and… lo and behold, there’s a motor-driven cam activating three 120VAC leaf switches that each arc like a motherfu… that arc strongly enough to kick out a seriously righteous broadband RF spike.

I quickly head back to the studio, take off the Strat et al, pick up a pair of cutters and dash back to “fix” the sign so that the arrow lamps remain lit 100% of the time – then back to the studio to cut Strat tracks all night long WITHOUT the "tick-tick-TICK!”.



TA-DAAA!
 
OK - The Story must be told, I’ve got a keyboard in front of me and I’m not afraid to use it:

******************************
So we're in the studio tracking guitars one night, everyone’s in the Control Room with the Marshall 4x12 speaker cab in the Iso Booth. Steve puts on his Strat, plugs it in and we hear this faint "tick-tick-TICK!" sound. Wha? A "tick" every second with the third one being noticeably louder, then two seconds of silence. "tick-tick-TICK!" "tick-tick-TICK!" "tick-tick-TICK!" "tick-tick-TICK!" and it keeps repeating and repeating and...

I ask Steve to try facing in a different direction and (just like always with a Strat) the noise gets louder/softer with his compass heading (so I know it’s some kind of RF) but the "tick-tick-TICK!" is still there nevertheless. Time's a wasting, so “oh, screw it…” I cue the tape and hit RECORD – even though I can plainly hear "tick-tick-TICK!" about 30dB down. We rewind and listen back to the first take: nope, the damn "tick-tick-TICK!" is going to be A Problem – even at it's lowest level and even with the rest of the tracks in the mix. Jon thinks I’m being “too picky again”, but he’s a bass player and partially deaf in his right ear so I ignore him and tell Steve “it’s time to do some keyboards”. Thankfully, there’s no "tick-tick-TICK!" coming from the MIDI system and we track keys into the Wee Hours.
Next afternoon, it’s my Alone Time in the studio so I start chasing the "tick-tick-TICK!". I built the studio myself and the entire place is wired with Mogami/Canare that I did myself, and I know how to create a solid grounding scheme and I know how to solder and I know how to lift the shields at one end, etc., so once again I grab Steve’s Strat and plug it in – exact same signal chain, no changes from last night – except there’s no "tick-tick-TICK!"
crap.

“Well, OK – I guess that solves that!” I tell myself, although I know full-well that something like that going away by itself isn't really A Good Thing b/c it hasn't been officially solved, has it? Anyway, later that night everyone's back to cut yesterday’s guitar tracks, Steve straps on and plugs in the Strat and then "tick-tick-TICK!" DAMMIT! I send everyone out to the patio so I can spend the next 20 minutes going around the studio wearing the Strat myself and using it as “an antenna with strings” to figure out where the "tick tick TICK!" is coming from. It gets a little louder near the iso booth, but what could possibly be making such a defined "tick-tick-TICK!" sound every five seconds? Some kind of military radar sweeping past us every 5 seconds? As if – a radar that sweeps non-linearly? The alarm system malfunctioning? Conceptually, I have nothing to wrap my brain around.
Next night is Friday Gig Night for the band, so this time I grab a Tele and of course it’s "tick-tick-TICK!" "tick-tick-TICK!" "tick-tick-TICK!”. As before, it’s the loudest by the Iso Booth (East side of the building) and after just about killing myself tripping over the guitar cable for the sixth time I have the genius idea of grabbing the battery-powered Rockman and a set of cans, thus creating a Portable Antenna with Strings.
No doubt about it, the "tick-tick-TICK!" is absolutely the loudest on the East side of the studio, so I head outside (still wearing the Portable). As I walk out the front door I notice that the "tick-tick-TICK!" is clearly louder, and as I walk towards the East side of the building it’s louder still – but I have no clue as to where it’s coming from.

So I start walking down the street heading East, and sure as Hell the "tick-tick-TICK!" is getting louder and louder the further East I walk. As I get closer and closer to the East end of the street – and closer and closer to the main N/S thoroughfare (Shepherd Dr.) – the "tick-tick-TICK!" gets even LOUDER AND LOUDER while the stares I’m getting from people driving by seem to get weirder and weirder.
I finally dead-end into Shepherd and take a look to my left – and there I see it. Next to the car detailing place there’s one of those portable signs, about four feet high by six feet long on a small trailer chassis, with a horizontal arrow on top. Imbedded into the arrow are five 100W light bulbs, and as I listen to the "tick-tick-TICK!" I can see that the lightbulbs are lighting one at a time in perfect sync to the "tick-tick-TICK!" – with the loudest “TICK!” at the end being the result of three lights flashing ON at the same time! EUREKA, I HAVE FOUND IT! I walk up to The Sign and pry the flashing arrow’s cover open just enough to peek inside and… lo and behold, there’s a motor-driven cam activating three 120VAC leaf switches that each arc like a motherfu… that arc strongly enough to kick out a seriously righteous broadband RF spike.

I quickly head back to the studio, take off the Strat et al, pick up a pair of cutters and dash back to “fix” the sign so that the arrow lamps remain lit 100% of the time – then back to the studio to cut Strat tracks all night long WITHOUT the "tick-tick-TICK!”.



TA-DAAA!
Not where I thought the story was going to end up, but a good story none the less. I was expecting a cell phone or something in Steve's pocket to be the culprit....
 
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